BYU-Idaho and Madison Memorial Hospital join together in recycling partnership

Brigham Young University-Idaho and Madison Memorial Hospital (MMH) have joined together to raise awareness of sustainability issues in Madison County.

July 5, 2012Writer: Alex Cisneros

Brigham Young University-Idaho and Madison Memorial Hospital (MMH) have joined together to raise awareness of sustainability issues in Madison County.

A year and half ago MMH spoke with Eric Conrad, director of Facilities Management at BYU-Idaho, to discuss sustainability projects the university was undertaking. As a result, MMH decided to model their program after BYU-Idaho's recycling program. Since MMH began to recycle, they have had tremendous support.

"Within 30 days of initiating recycling efforts our staff were requesting more bins," said Wade Bowman, director of Facilities Management at MMH. As one of the largest businesses in Madison County, the hospital seeks to maintain a healthy future for the City of Rexburg. Three months ago, MMH partnered with the BYU-Idaho Recycling Center after learning of the university's curbside recycling trial run.

Audrey Fletcher, chief support services officer of MMH, says the decision to begin recycling was driven by a desire to demonstrate leadership in the community. "We want to set an example to other businesses, small and large, and to other hospitals; to say, 'we did this, you should be doing this too,'" Fletcher said.

BYU-Idaho has been working closely with the City of Rexburg and recently underwent a trial run of curbside recycling, which will be implemented city wide to all single-family homes this fall. "The program has been successful and because it has we will be able to save the city money, reduce costs, and employ more of our students," said Conrad. Some 80 students are expected to be employed by September.